This year, my friends' annual obscure holiday cocktail party met a little earlier in the season, so it took on a election theme. We first got together eight years ago as a group of food bloggers, making obscure holiday cocktails, which then morphed into our own original cocktails. This year, the drinks had cheeky presidential campaign-themed names and were all very strong, which is probably the most effective thing to get you through the remainder of this election.
My drink was called the Bitter Pill, a minty, citrusy, sweet blend of rum, Fernet, simple syrup and lime juice, topped with an egg white foam.
Bitter Pill
1-1/2 oz. aged rum
1/2 oz. Fernet Branca
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz. demerara simple syrup
1/2 oz. egg white
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Add ice, shake, and strain into a glass. Garnish with a lime twist.
Ross made the Trump Tan, a mix of tequila and orange liqueur (will update with recipe).
From Erica, the Landslide, an extremely drinkable bourbon lemonade:
The Landslide
3 oz. Bourbon
3 oz. honey simple syrup
1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Shake and strain into a rocks glasses full of cubed ice. 5-6 mint leaves (per glass) ... give the mint a good smack in the palm of your hands to awaken the aromatics and add to the center of each glass.
A. and R. made You're the Puppet, a tart cocktail of equal parts Russian vodka, Campari, and OJ.
Dawn made the Commander in Chief, which naturally involved her favorite Scotch, Laphroig. It was smoky on the nose with a rich and sweet flavor.
The Commander and Chief
4 oz. Rye
2 oz. Cherry Herring
2 oz. Carpano Antica Vermouth
Spritz glasses with Laphroaig 15 YR Scotch
Top with a charred orange peel
And finally, Prof. A. made the #NastyWoman, a mix of Maderia and vodka. Strong and straight up, just like the first female president!
#NastyWoman
2-1/4 oz. Rare Wine Co. Madeira (2:1 ration of Verdehlo and Malmsy)
3/4 oz. Split Rock Distilling Vodka
3 dashes Reception Bitters from the San Francisco Bitters Co.
He stands behind her lusting for his foe.
She was bleeding from her...wherever.
Trump is all bluster
but he's not a disrupter.
We're gonna build a wall!
When they go low, we go high
Believe me, I know more about ISIS than, than, than—
than the generals.
You like big words? I went to the best school.
I know big words. I have the best big words.
I mean, they are huge!
Such a nasty woman...
The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!
In Nate Silver we trust.
"That guy is so mean!" - 3-year-old B.W. on Donald Trump